4th Annual Skate Jam Promo

The Little Village Community has more than 100,000 residents and only one, yes 1, park and a couple of play-lots. This puts them at 101 acre deficit for open space! The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization and the community have been en La Lucha to build a new park on a former industrial site for many years and are closer than ever before!!!
Since there arent many open lots in Little Village and because the southside of the Chi has historically been the industrial corridor most land is contaminated. We have worked very hard to make sure the 30 acre lot is safe for human use.
The young people in the community have been hosting a skate jam to bring awareness for the need for a park for the past three years and are at it again! Over the years they were able to get the park district to commit to building a skate park in the new park!!! They have even been part of the designing process!!! They see skating as an alternative to the dominant youth sub-culture in the community, gangs, and want to support their peers as they resist the violence.
The Skate Jam started in 2007 as part of the block party on Millard, something smaller scale with some ramps and prizes. It was intended to serve as an event to support the emerging skate culture in Little Village and bring attention to the need for another park and recreational options for young people in the community. In 2008, we opened up the planning process to skaters in the community and had over 10 bands perform and hundreds of attendees despite the weather. In 2009, we added a skateboard gallery, sponsored by RocknJewels, where artists designed skateboards that were auctioned and part of the proceeds stayed with the org while the rest went back to the artist.
This year its gonna be off the chain!!! Come through!!!

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• YAOTL
• Skate Jam
• LVEJO
• Little Village
• Skateboarding
• Chicago
• Environmental Justice
• Community Power
• Community Organizing
• Youth Organizing
• Open Space
• Skate Park

[GreasybigmacCallinMe]

LMFAOO 1:25 ahh, ineed to head over there by 26th wit my pplz next summer to skate there